Taos Archives - Southwest Properties, Inc.

Taos Ski Valley To Open Kachina Peak This Winter

TAOS SKI VALLEY, N.M., — This 2014-2015 winter season, Taos Ski Valley will open Kachina Peak to lift-accessed skiing and snowboarding as well as several additional new enhancements, including new hike-to terrain.

“Kachina Peak offers some of the most spectacular views and terrain in North America,” said Gordon Briner, CEO of Taos Ski Valley. “The new Kachina Peak lift provides the opportunity for everyone to enjoy this iconic terrain and have one of the most unique experiences in winter recreation. In addition, since Kachina Peak captures snow early in the season and holds it well into spring, we’re excited that the area that holds the most snow on the mountain is now lift-served.”

With a summit of 12,450 feet, the Kachina Peak lift is one of the highest chairlifts in North America and increases the mountain’s lift-serviced terrain by 50 percent, further establishing Taos Ski Valley as a premier ski resort. From the top of Kachina, guests can enjoy the unforgettable vistas of northern New Mexico and southern Colorado, and will have access to a broad range of terrain, from the wide open bowls of Main Street, to the narrow and steep lines of the K Chutes.

Those who enjoy the valley’s legendary hike-to terrain can still earn their turns, as the majority of Highline Ridge and West Basin will remain accessible by foot only. In addition to preserving the existing hike-to terrain,Taos Ski Valley is adding new hike-to terrain this season with the opening of The Wild West Glades. Accessible via the West Basin Ridge, The Wild West Glades will consist of 35 acres of some of the best tree skiing in the country.

New Season Pass, Ski School Perks
Taos Ski Valley’s season pass, has always been one of the best values in skiing, and it just got even better. The popular Millennium Pass (good for 70 days), the unlimited Adult Full Season Pass, and the Family Full Pass, will each include exchange days at Copper Mountain, Durango Mountain Resort, Crested Butte, Arapahoe Basin, Powder Mountain and new this year, Silverton Mountain. Taos Ski Valley will also continue to offer discounted season and day passes to active military, college students, seniors and children.

Taos Ski Valley’s famed Ernie Blake Snowsports School also will be unveiling the new Mountain Guide program, which connects guests with the valley’s top ambassadors who will show them the best spots to ski or ride on a given day, take them to off-the-map runs, and share some of the ski area’s local lore and history.

For those looking to take their skiing or snowboarding up a notch, the Snowsports Week is an incredible value at just $130. Running every Sunday-Friday throughout the season, guests receive personal attention from top instructors for two hours each morning.

Additional new developments
Taos Ski Valley has also upgraded its snowmaking system with two energy-efficient compressors. The upgrades will be part of helping Taos Ski Valley be prepared to open Thanksgiving weekend, as well as provide skiing from the top of the mountain as soon as possible.

Finally, guests will enjoy a new drop-off area that features views of the Sangre de Cristo mountains, and a walkway with stores and services that line the path to the base area and lifts. These improvements are the first stages of the renovation of the base area.

“We couldn’t be more excited about this upcoming snow season,” said Briner. “We are making positive changes while simultaneously preserving what makes Taos Ski Valley so extraordinary. Our commitment to delivering a world-class experience is stronger than ever.”

For more information about the 2014-2015 winter activities at Taos Ski Valley, go to www.skitaos.org.

About Taos Ski Valley
Located in northern New Mexico, Taos is one of North America’s premier ski and snowboard destinations, with more than 305 inches of average annual snowfall and more than 110 trails. Taos has a relaxed, friendly atmosphere, spectacular scenery, and amazing terrain, truly make it a world of its own.

To learn more about Taos Ski Valley or to plan a vacation, please visit www.skitaos.org.

Taos Ski Valley To Launch Family Friendly and Intermediate Mountain Biking Trails

Taos Ski Valley will this summer launch four new mountain biking trails, including a family friendly biking park that offers something for all skill levels. The new attraction will give families and visitors even more reason to take in the pristine alpine destination during the summer months.

On June 28 Taos Ski Valley will hold a grand opening celebration for Pioneer’s Bike Park, a collection of biking trails that will offer the only lift-accessed novice mountain biking in the country. Also launching will be the Berminator, a 3.6-mile, intermediate mountain biking track beginning at the top of Lift 1. The mountain biking launch weekend will offer an array of fun activities for the whole family, including bike demos from several manufacturers, live entertainment and more.

“Mountain biking is a thrilling outdoor activity for the whole family, but until now it has been very difficult to find lift-serviced trails suitable for beginners. Our Pioneer’s Bike Park will offer something for everyone: two novice trails and one intermediate, lift access and a lower placement on the mountain for easier access and proximity to other base area activities,” said Gordon Briner, COO of TSV, Inc. “Additionally, the Berminator will be an excellent track for more seasoned mountain cyclists. We are very proud to offer this comprehensive summer expansion, demonstrating to visitors why Taos Ski Valley is not just a winter destination, but an excellent choice for summer travel, as well.”

The Berminator, Taos Ski Valley’s first mountain bike flow trail, will feature berm turns, optional table top jumps, step downs, step ups, hip jumps and rock drops. For those who are not ready for the challenge of the Berminator, the Pioneers’ Bike Park offers accessible fun for the whole family, encouraging progression and skill building as visitors navigate beginner, intermediate and cross-country trails.

Taos Ski Valley’s mountain bike lift tickets will be competitively priced; adults and children will pay just $10 for a full-day pass in Pioneer’s Bike Park. Visitors who would like access to the Berminator will pay $22 for adult full-day passes and $15 for children 12 and under. Half-day passes for Berminator access will be $18 and $12respectively. Mountain bike rentals will also be available in the ski valley. More details regarding the Taos Ski Valley mountain biking offerings will be released in the summer, and additional information can be found here.

Average summer weather in Taos Ski Valley is sunny and in the high 60 degrees, offering visitors a welcome respite from hotter surrounding climes. Other summer attractions in and around the ski valley include hiking, rafting, horseback riding, art galleries and world-class dining.

About Taos Ski Valley, Inc.
With more than 305 inches of average annual snowfall and more than 110 trails, Taos Ski Valley is New Mexico’s premier skiing and snowboarding destination. Taos Ski Valley boasts a unique, relaxed atmosphere, pristine scenery and unparalleled skiing and snowboarding. To learn more about Taos Ski Valley or to plan a vacation, please visit www.skitaos.org.

New Mexico’s Viper Tours Delivers Ultimate Storm Chasing Adventure

As storm season approaches, Viper Tours (www.vipertours.com) gears up to give thrill seekers a taste of tornado alley and the raw power of nature. With a team of experts at the ready, Viper Tours is the definitive name in private storm chasing, putting clients at the center of dramatic and intense weather systems. (PRNewsFoto/Viper Tours)

As storm season approaches, New Mexico’s Viper Tours (www.vipertours.com) gears up to give thrill seekers a taste of tornado alley and the raw power of nature.

With a team of experts at the ready, Viper Tours is the definitive name in private storm chasing, putting clients at the center of dramatic and intense weather systems.

Viper Tours founders Dustin Feldman and Jeff Shardell formed the company to share their passion for extreme experiences. Each adventure results in a transformative journey for all. Tour guests are in great hands with Feldman’s background as a medic and field coordinator for Discovery Channel’s Storm Chasers and Shardell’s impressive skills as a dynamic navigator and forecaster.

This is no tour bus venturing into the eye of the storm, but a futuristic vehicle for unparalleled access to the action. The Ford F-150 SVT Raptor truck takes on the roughest terrain at high speeds, making it the perfect complement to the stellar team at Viper Tours.

Storms are unpredictable, but Viper operates “on call only,” organizing tours around specific weather occurrences, meaning no one goes home disappointed by a non-event.

The five-night all-inclusive custom adventure includes expert guides, high-quality lodging and food and a memorable photo book and video documenting the experience. In-between active storms activities include rafting, hiking, biking and historical exploration.

For a limited time only, Go Moment (www.gomoment.com), the acclaimed service that specializes in creating and offering extraordinary experiences, is offering Viper Tours packages at an exclusive, first-time ever insider price—up to 30% savings. For booking information visit www.GoMoment.com

For those not up for the thrill of a chase, Viper Tours offers a virtual option via a real-time live feed available exclusively through their Web site at www.vipertours.com. Follow along as the team and their guests venture into rarely scene tornado territory.

About Viper Tours
Dustin Feldman and Jeff Shardell are the entrepreneur trailblazers behind the company. Their mission is simple; complete a life-altering quest by putting clients up close and personal with the formidable forces of nature. The Viper Tours’ team boasts more than 9 years experience in adventure touring to offer clients an unmatched encounter. That expertise combined with the most innovative technology available position Viper as the only storm chasing company offering an elite experience.

Mark Your Calendars: Restaurant Week Is Back February 24 – March 3

New Mexico Restaurant Week is back, giving patrons a good look at restaurants where “Red or green?” is merely an option, not the extent of the menu. Now in its third year, the event has become a highly anticipated culinary event.

The fun starts in Santa Fe, where more than 50 restaurants will participate in the Sunday-to-Sunday culinary extravaganza, and several hotels will feature special Restaurant Week lodging packages. It’s the perfect week for out-of-town food lovers to visit The City Different, and for New Mexicans to plan a long weekend of culinary pleasure in their own backyard.

The foodie extravaganza continues in Taos (March 3 – 10), and Albuquerque (March 10 – 17). In addition to value-priced dinners and lunches, people can expand their epicurean horizons through daytime cooking demonstrations, classes, and wine & spirits tastings.

Sign up for events, get the list of participating restaurants (you won’t need tickets, but you WILL need to make your own reservations and they fill up fast!), and enter the New Mexico Restaurant Week sweepstakes here.

¡Buen provecho!